Ranking Every Kobe Bryant Signature Sneaker

Is it a sneaker? Is it a toaster? The Kobe 2 took the out-there aesthetic of the Adidas Kobe 1 to a place that almost no one, including Kobe, was interested in going—as evidenced by his departure from Adidas shortly thereafter. 

Kobe's post-retirement line got off to a rough start when it was discovered that Nike was falsely presenting the size of the shoe's Zoom Air bag with a clear TPU panel replicating a larger unit. In reality, a low-volume bag was housed within the midsole, which was much smaller than the shoe's outward appearance implied. 

The shroud-like upper of the Kobe A.D. NXT offered one of the more polarizing aesthetic designs of Bryant's Nike line, but benefits from the fact that it was actually functional. While concept was quickly abandoned, it was impressively effective for a one-and-done technology. 

The KB8 3 was the final Adidas Kobe sneaker to release under the "KB8" banner before the brand moved onto the infamous "The Kobe" line. It departed from the previous KB8 sneakers by dropping the "Feet You Wear" branding as well as the aggressive looks of its predecessors. Its relevance is currently at an all-time high thanks to its tooling being borrowed by Kanye West for this Yeezy 500 model.

No doubt one of the most daring looking signature sneaker Bryant ever had, the Kobe 1 does win some points just for being so bold. The boxy model was inspired by Kobe's Audi TT Roadster and had a tough, molded look. Needless to say, the shoe hasn't aged terribly well.

Most people would say that Kobe Bryant patterned his game after Michael Jordan, so it's fitting that his signature sneakers took a play from MJ's playbook as well. With the Kobe A.D. NXT FastFit, Nike scaled the build up from Bryant's customary low-tops and employed FastFit, a manual tightening system that locks in the foot into place via strap and cables. The technology made its on-court debut as part of the Air Jordan 33.

Aside from its utility-style lacing system, this version of the Nike Kobe A.D., also known as the Kobe A.D. Exodus, continued a trend of no-frills low-top performance models in the Mamba's signature line. Its most notable feature is a Composite Fiber 2.5x band that runs across the midfoot, essentially functioning as a non-adjustable strap.

The Kobe A.D. Mid wasn't a particularly exciting entry to Kobe's Nike line, but at least it righted some of the performance wrongs of its predecessor by upgrading the size of its Zoom bag. It also had a stronger on-court presence, with multiple players recieving PE editions of the silhouette, including models hitting retail.

The Kobe 10 was the follow up to Nike's first Flyknit basketball shoe. Instead of using Flyknit, however, Nike debuted the Kobe 10 in an open-weave textile upper that was stronger and more durable than Flyknit for the rigors of the basketball court. The shoe also built on its boxing boot-inspired predecessor by adding an upgraded traction system and a hybrid cushioning platform that used Zoom and Lunarlon. 

While not as popular as the original KB8, the second Feet You Wear model from Kobe’s Adidas line remains one of the best from Bryant’s Three Stripe days. It was renamed the Crazy 2 for its 2014 retro release. 

Had Kobe 11 landed earlier in the series, maybe there would have been more excitement. But its been-there, done-that design felt disappointing, especially considering that it will be the final shoe played in by Bryant. 

The Nike Kobe line has always remained at the forefront of innovation and the Kobe 8 was no different. The sneaker brought Engineered Mesh into the basketball space while continuing the interchangeable "System" approach to Kobe footwear that debuted on the previous model.

The Nike Kobe 3 was a prelude to what was to come to be expected from the signature sneaker line—a glove like fit on the upper that acted like a second skin on your feet. The shoe also built on the natural motion principles found in the Nike Kobe 2. 

Most of the post-retirement Kobe releases have been underwhelming rehashes of line's glory days, but the NXT 360 gets back to the original premise of innovation. The newest addition to Bryant's Nike collection introduces 360-degree Flyknit to the basketball category after its debut on soccer cleats, and it expands on the React cushioing platform by combining it with Lunarlon for a dual-density drop-in midsole. 

More than anything, the Nike Kobe line will be remembered for minimalism and a refined approach to design. The Kobe 2 marked the first time Kobe, known for being a stickler for detail, was heavily involved in the design process. It was also the first shoe that directly brought Nike's Free principals to basketball. 

The Nike Kobe 9 marked a new era for Nike Basketball as the first silhouette from the category to use Flyknit. The shoe started out on the right side of audacious with the Elite High, later transferring to the tamer low cut version. Perhaps the best of the 9 though came from the Elite Low, another Flyknit-equipped design that started off with a bang courtesy of a super-limited HTM trio.

Taking on the full moniker of Kobe 7 System, this shoe was highlighted by two interchangeable insert options that allowed players to switch out the cushioning and ankle support to match their style of play. “Attack Fast” was equipped with a Phylon midsole, forefoot and heel Zoom and a low-cut, power-stretch cuff for a sock-like fit. For physical players, “Attack Strong” included full-length Cushion and padded sensory cuffs. The tone for the story was set with a star-studded ad campaign that included Kanye West, Serena Williams and Richard Branson.

The Kobe 1 didn’t introduce any revolutionary new technology. It didn’t drop in any heavily hyped colorways. It didn’t even sell particularly well, hitting outlets for deep discounts. But what the Kobe 1 holds over every other model on this list is being on the feet of Kobe Bryant when he dropped 81 points in a single game. That's enough.

The majority of Kobe’s sneaker legacy is tied to the Swoosh, but Adidas carries the distinction of being the creators of his first signature model. Following his rookie season in the EQT Elevation, the KB8 was the first shoe to bear Kobe’s name. The model is also the most recognizable from Adidas Basketball’s famed Feet You Wear era, which spawned designs with sole technology that mimicked natural motion. Renamed the Crazy 8 in later years, it continues to be one of Adidas’ most re-released sneakers. 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? The Nike Zoom Kobe V wasn't a huge departure from the game-changing shoe before it, but still had its share of memorable releases in colorways like the Bruce Lee and the Chaos. It also came with a beefed-up outsole for outdoor use.

The Kobe 4 may have may have helped popularized low-cut basketball shoes, but it was the 6 that brought mass adaptation. From the NBA all the way down to local pickup games, the Zoom Kobe 6 was everywhere, doing exactly what it was designed to do: play basketball. 

Kobe Bryant said himself that his fourth signature sneaker was the boldest move that he and Nike have ever done together. It's true. The gamble to drop the top on the Kobe 4 paid off as it changed the industry when it was introduced in 2008 by dismissing the myth that wearing low-top hoop shoes would get you injured. If it weren't for the success of the 4, we may have not seen signature athletes in basketball, like Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, and Paul George adopting minimal profiles.